Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Corrupt politicians on the run

Vigilance heat mounts on former Jharkhand ministers

Jharkhand’s corrupt politicians who have been merrily lining their pockets over the past nine years are about to receive their comeuppance.

Vigilance cases have been filed or are about to be filed against one former chief minister, half a dozen ex-ministers, a sitting MLA and a Union Cabinet minister. Although the action against these corrupt politicians may mean little to the people of Jharkhand, it might serve to restore their faith in the process of justice.

Even as Jharkhand languishes at the bottom of the development ladder, its corrupt politicians have been on the take ever since the state was formed. But the past has begun to catch up with them. Two former Jharkhand ministers, Enos Ekka and Harinarayan Rai, are already in the dock. Vigilance cases have been initiated against former chief minister Madhu Koda and four members of his Cabinet, Kamlesh Singh, Bandhu Tirkey, Bhanu Pratap Shahi and Nalin Soren.

MP from Ranchi and Union minister Subodh Kant Sahay is also in the vigilance net. With the exception of Nalin Soren, all the others have been accused of amassing wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income. Enos Ekka and Hari Narayan Rai, both of whom are absconding after issuance of arrest warrants against them, misused their office to buy properties from Assam to Jaipur, and from Mumbai to Thiruvananthapuram.

A member of the vigilance team that went to inspect an under-construction building owned in Ranchi by Ekka reported that he would not be able to assess the exact value of the property because he hadn’t ever seen some of the gadgets installed there.

Similarly, Madhu Koda and his erstwhile Cabinet colleagues face charges of criminal malfeasance. Vigilance proceedings are expected to be initiated against them soon. Nalin Soren, who was agriculture minister in Koda’s Cabinet, is involved in a departmental scam. A criminal complaint has been filed against him.